This invention relates generally to apparatus for endwise oscillating printing press rollers, and more particularly, to improvements in support mechanism associated with such rollers.
Printing press rollers, as for example ink distributing rollers, are required to oscillate endwise back and forth, in press operation. This is normally accomplished by employing a follower on the roller, the follower tracking in spiral duplex cam grooves that are so configured as to cause the follower to track back and forth in the grooves as the idler rotates. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 717,138; 700,260; and 2,745,343. The roller may be suitably rotated, as by auxiliary rollers.
The cam is normally carried by a shaft relative to which the roller rotates and moves axially back and forth at very high speeds. It is found that excessive bearing wear can occur, contributing to catastrophic failure and explosion of parts, including the roller, follower and cam, whereby costly shutdown of the printing press can and does occur. There is need for improvements in mechanism construction which will obviate such failure.